The LORD sent me to anoint you king over His people, over Israel. Now therefore, heed the voice of the words of the LORD. Thus says the LORD of hosts: I will punish Amalek for what he did to Israel, how he ambushed him on the way when he came up from Egypt. Now go and attack Amalek, and utterly destroy all that they have, and do not spare them. But kill both man and woman, infant and nursing child, ox and sheep, camel and donkey. (1 Samuel 15:2-3)
Compare to 1 Samuel 15:13 When Samuel reached him, Saul said, “The Lord bless you! I have carried out the Lord’s instructions.”
14 But Samuel said, “What then is this bleating of sheep in my ears? What is this lowing of cattle that I hear?”
Did Saul really carry out God’s command? No, he did not. Although there is a good lesson in regards to what happened because of Saul’s disobedience, I want to focus not on that whole story but to something more personal.
The writer of Hebrews states:
12:1 Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us, 2 Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God.
Scripture tells us to “Throw off”(NIV) sin. In 2 Tim. 2 we also see we should “PURGE” ourselves of some things:
20 But in a great house there are not only vessels of gold and of silver, but also of wood and of earth; and some to honour, and some to dishonour. 21 If a man therefore purge himself from these, he shall be a vessel unto honour, sanctified, and meet for the master’s use, and prepared unto every good work. 22 Flee also youthful lusts: but follow righteousness, faith, charity, peace, with them that call on the Lord out of a pure heart. 23 But foolish and unlearned questions avoid, knowing that they do gender strifes. 24 And the servant of the Lord must not strive; but be gentle unto all men, apt to teach, patient, 25 In meekness instructing those that oppose themselves; if God peradventure will give them repentance to the acknowledging of the truth; 26 And that they may recover themselves out of the snare of the devil, who are taken captive by him at his will.
The message is clear here, we are to cleans ourselves of sin. We are to do works that God tells us to do, or as Paul states in Acts 26:19 Whereupon, O king Agrippa, I was not disobedient unto the heavenly vision: 20 But shewed first unto them of Damascus, and at Jerusalem, and throughout all the coasts of Judaea, and then to the Gentiles, that they should repent and turn to God, and do works meet for repentance.
In John 14:15 we read: “If ye love me, keep my commandments.”
Now I am NOT teaching perfectionism in this life. I know John also states 1 John 1:8 If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us.
But, we are to purge ourselves, we are to keep his commandments, we are to lay aside the sin that so easily besets us. We are to live lives that are pleasing to our Father God. We should be different than those who are in the world.
On a personal note, I find myself asking Father to show me where I am not doing or thinking as I should. I want to please him. I want to die to self. I want to obey God completely in purging Amelek completely from my life.
What I do not want God to say to me is this, “What then is this bleating of sheep in my ears? What is this lowing of cattle that I hear?”
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